Wondering how to go viral on Instagram? You have come to the right place.
In 2024, simply creating Instagram content and waiting for those numbers to rise high won’t cut the mustard. You should know the best tips to maximize your chances of going viral on Instagram and boost your ROI.
There are now more than 2 billion active Instagram users worldwide (over 33 million of them are millennials or Gen Z). Instagram is clearly the platform of choice for younger people. But just because they are on there, it doesn’t mean they will watch your posts. Then, how do you avoid getting lost in the noise?
To achieve all your Instagram marketing goals, you should know how to tap into your Instagram audience’s desires, use the Instagram algorithm to your advantage, and create posts that truly move the dial. We have listed the fundamental tips in this article to help you do exactly that so that you can catapult your content into the spotlight.
Table Of Contents:
- Start Your Video With A Bang
- Do Something Slightly Unusual To Encourage Comments
- Leave Some Questions Unanswered
- Always Include A Strong Call To Action
- Share Tips & Advice
- Use Trending Music Or Sounds
- Use Your Own Audio
- Keep Your Reels Short And To The Point
- Include Text On The Opening Frame Of Reels
- Make The Most Of Instagram Hashtags
- Learn Popular Dances
- Keep Them Guessing
- Tell A Attention-Grabbing Story
- Incite “FOMO”
- Understand The 3-Second Rule
- Post Frequently
- Reply To All Your Comments, But Don't Reply Too Quickly
- Don't Stick To A Niche Too Early
- Don't Link To A Product Right Away
- Watch Posts On The Explore Page
- Keep Going
You can directly jump to a section of your choice or keep scrolling.
Start Your Video With A Bang
Instagram is a fast-paced platform, so you need to grab people's attention immediately. If your post doesn't start with something interesting or engaging, people will likely swipe past it. Set the tone and topic of your post within the first few seconds so that viewers know what they are in for.
Do Something Slightly Unusual To Encourage Comments
People love to share their opinions, especially on unusual topics. So, if you can do something that is slightly off track, it will encourage people to comment and share their thoughts. This can help you get more engagement on your videos, which can lead to more views and even going viral.
For example, you could make a video about whether ketchup on eggs is acceptable. This is a topic that people are divided on, so it is likely to generate a lot of comments.
Here are some tips for doing something unusual:
- Choose a topic that is likely to be divisive.
- Be respectful of other people's opinions, even if you don't agree with them.
- Be prepared for negative comments.
- Don't take the comments personally.
Leave Some Questions Unanswered
Viewers like to speculate and share their own theories, so leaving some questions unanswered in your videos will encourage them to comment and share their thoughts.
For example, if you are posting a video about a mysterious object, you could leave some questions unanswered, such as "What is it?" or "Where did it come from?" This will lead to people speculating about the object in the comments, which will help your video get more views.
- Ask open-ended questions that people can't easily answer.
- Leave some details out of your video that people will want to know more about.
- Use cliffhangers to keep people guessing.
- Be creative and think outside the box. The more mysterious and intriguing your questions are, the more likely people are to comment on them.
Always Include A Strong Call To Action
A call to action (CTA) is a phrase or sentence that tells viewers what you want them to do. For example, you might ask them to like your post, follow you, or comment.
Including a CTA in your post is important because it can help you grow your following. When Instagram sees that people are interacting with your videos, they are more likely to show your videos to other people.
- Make sure your CTA is clear and concise.
- Place your CTA at the end of your video so that viewers have time to see it before they move on.
- Use eye-catching text or graphics to make your CTA stand out.
- Make your CTA relevant to the content of your video.
Never lose track of a liked post again! Learn how to see liked posts on Instagram and ensure your favorite content is always at your fingertips.
Share Tips & Advice
Instagram users like to learn new things, so if you have expertise in a particular subject, create informational posts to help them learn more. Bullet point videos work great for this, as you can use text on the screen to guide viewers through the mini-lesson. People also like shopping on Instagram, so sharing your favorite products is a great way to gain traction (and even make money).
Use Trending Music Or Sounds
Instagram is a social platform where people are drawn to trends, so using trending music or sounds is a great way to get your videos seen by more people. You can even layer a song quietly in the background with a voiceover.
Use Your Own Audio
Instagram uses audio to understand what your video is about and show it to the right audience. By recording your own audio, you are giving Instagram more keywords and information about your video, which will help it reach more people.
Keep Your Reels Short And To The Point
Instagram prioritizes videos that are engaging and hold viewers' attention. If your video is too long, people are less likely to watch it entirely. In fact, Instagram uses average watch time as a metric to evaluate video quality. So, if you want your videos to be seen by more people, it's best to keep them short and sweet.
Include Text On The Opening Frame Of Reels
Another tip to influence the subconscious mind is to start your video with text over the first slide. This will cause viewers to spend a few seconds reading the text, which will naturally lead them to spend a few seconds more on your video than on one without text. Even though this might not seem like much, every second counts when your video is short or only a few seconds long.
Make The Most Of Instagram Hashtags
If you haven’t noticed, Instagram has a limited number of characters you can use in the captions box, thus a limited number of Instagram hashtags. Don’t use very generic and basic ones like #like #comment. Instead, try using more niche ones, something that would be more likely to reach the audience you intend to.
Know more: How Many Hashtags Should I Use On Instagram
Learn Popular Dances
Don't be afraid to jump on the latest trends on Instagram. If you see a catchy dance that everyone is doing, give it a try. If there's a funny challenge that's going around, catch a friend and do it together. These types of videos get a lot of views for a reason. They are fun, engaging, and people love to see them.
Keep Them Guessing
One way to get your Instagram video seen by more people is to make it so that some parts of the video need to be rewatched. This can be done by making the text too fast to read, the visuals too quick to understand, or the audio too difficult to hear the first time around. When people rewatch your video, they spend more time on it, which signals to the Instagram algorithm that it is a good video that people want to watch. As a result, the algorithm will show your video to more people.
Tell A Attention-Grabbing Story
Instagram started out as a platform for dancing, but now storytelling is what rules the roost. You can tell any kind of story on Instagram, whether it's something interesting that happened in your life, a project you worked on or something random that happened during your day. Just make sure your story is entertaining and engaging. That's the key to success on Instagram.
Incite “FOMO”
Viral videos often evoke strong emotions in viewers. If you want to create a video that will go viral, try to tap into the emotion of FOMO or fear of missing out. This can be done by showing something that is desirable or exclusive, such as a delicious milkshake with chocolate dripping down and sprinkles on top. Who wouldn't want to try that?
Understand The 3-Second Rule
Instagram's 3-second rule is like a snap judgment moment. When you upload an Instagram post, it gets shown to a small bunch of audience. You should nail those initial 3 seconds because it's a make-or-break point. Your video needs to capture your audience’s attention within the first 3 seconds! Those first 3 are important as they decide if your audience will continue to watch your post or swipe to the next one.
Post Frequently
The more often you post, the more likely you are to have a post go viral. However, don't sacrifice quality for quantity. Make sure your posts are still high-quality, even if you are posting more often.
Here are some tips for posting frequently:
- Set a schedule and stick to it. This will help you stay consistent and avoid posting too much or too little.
- Plan your videos ahead of time. This will save you time and make it easier to post consistently.
- Experiment with different times of day to post. See when your audience is most active to figure out your best time to post on Instagram and post at those times.
- Promote your videos on other platforms. Share your videos on social media, email, or your website.
Reply To All Your Comments, But Don't Reply Too Quickly
Replying to comments is a great way to engage with your audience and encourage them to keep watching your posts. However, if you reply to comments too quickly, Instagram may block you from commenting for a period of time. This is because Instagram wants to prevent people from spamming comments.
Here are some tips for replying to comments without getting blocked:
- Reply to comments thoughtfully. Don't just reply with one-word answers or emojis. Take the time to read each comment and reply in a way that is engaging.
- Don't reply to all comments at once. Spread out your replies over a period of time. This will help you avoid getting blocked by Instagram.
- Don't reply to comments that are spam or abusive. If you see a comment that is spam or abusive, simply report it to Instagram.
Read more: How To Turn Off Comments On Instagram
Don't Stick To A Niche Too Early
Anything can go viral on Instagram, so it's important to experiment with different types of content at first. This will help you figure out what your audience likes and what you enjoy creating. Once you have a better understanding of your audience and your own interests, you can start to focus on a specific niche.
Here are some tips for not sticking to a niche too early:
- Experiment with different formats and topics. Try making different types of videos, such as lip-syncs, challenges, comedy sketches, or educational videos.
- Pay attention to what your audience likes. See what types of posts get the most views and engagement.
- Follow your interests. Make posts about things that you are passionate about.
- Don't be afraid to change your mind. If you are not sure what niche to focus on, just keep experimenting until you find something that works.
Don't Link To A Product Right Away
If you are trying to monetize your video through affiliate links by doing a product review, it may be tempting to drop the product link in the comments right away. However, by not linking to the product right away, you are more likely to get people asking where it's from, or for the link. This will help your video gain traction and go viral on Instagram.
Here are some reasons why you should wait to link to a product in your video:
- It will create curiosity. When people see that you are talking about a product but not linking to it, they will be curious about what it is. This will make them more likely to comment and ask for the link, which will help your video get more views.
- It will give you more time to build rapport with your audience. Before you link to a product, you want to make sure that your audience is engaged and interested in what you have to say. If you link to the product too soon, you will miss out on this opportunity.
- It will make your link more valuable. When people see that you have already answered their questions about a product, they will be more likely to trust your link. This means that they are more likely to click on the link and buy the product.
Watch Posts On The Explore Page
While it may be tempting to only come to Instagram to post your own content, it's important to spend some time each day watching posts on the Instagram Explore Page.
Here are some reasons why you should watch videos on the Instagram Explore Page:
- Get new ideas. You can see what other creators are doing and get inspiration for your own posts.
- Stay up-to-date on trends. Instagram is a fast-paced platform, so it's important to stay up-to-date on the latest trends.
- Learn what your audience likes. By watching posts that are popular on the Explore Page, you can learn what kind of content your audience is interested in.
Keep Going
It takes most people at least a month to figure out their style on Instagram and how to make videos that resonate with their audience. So, if you don't go viral right away, don't give up. Keep creating Instagram posts, keep experimenting, and keep learning. Eventually, you will find your groove and start to see success.
- Set realistic goals. Don't expect to go viral overnight. Instead, set small, achievable goals for yourself, such as gaining 100 followers per week or getting 100 likes on each video.
- Focus on the process, not the results. It's easy to get discouraged when you are not seeing results. But it's important to remember that the journey is just as important as the destination. Focus on creating videos that you are proud of and that you enjoy making.
- Learn from your mistakes. Every post you make is a learning opportunity. Pay attention to what's working and what's not, and use that feedback to improve your future posts.
- Don't give up. It takes time and effort to build a successful Instagram account. But if you are persistent and keep creating great content, you will eventually start to see results.
Going Viral On Instagram Is Not The End Of The Game!
Going viral on Instagram is just the beginning. To truly build your brand on Instagram, you need to understand your audience and connect with them on a deeper level.
There is a difference between content communities and follower communities on Instagram. Content communities are users who are interested in specific topics on Instagram, while follower communities are users who are actually following your brand. Once you have started attracting users to follow your brand, it is important to connect with them. This is how you create viral videos that translate into long-term brand loyalty.
The good news is that Instagram's algorithm actually rewards you for doing this. By nurturing your follower community on Instagram, you can achieve widespread viral success.
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